Free Republic

THE death of Boko Haram warlord Abubakar Shekau could spark a bloody ISIS uprising in west Africa, experts fear. Shekau is said to have blown himself up as he was hunted down by rival terror group Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap), which is now poised to dominate the region. Iswap claimed they had orders to kill Shekau from ISIS commanders in the Middle East, who were concerned at his indiscriminate killing of Muslims. They raided his forest lair in Nigeria last month, reportedly inflicting heavy casualties with weapons mounted on pickup trucks. Iswap leader Abu Musab al-Barnawi claimed Shekau...

The leader of Nigerian militant Islamist group Boko Haram is dead, according to reports. News agency Reuters said it had heard an audio recording made by Boko Haram's rivals The Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP), which said Abubakar Shekau died around 18 May. He died after detonating an explosive device, according to a person on the recording who identified himself as ISWAP leader Abu Musab al Barnawi. Al Barnawi said his fighters had sought the warlord on orders of Islamic State leadership, chasing him and offering him the chance to repent and join them. "Shekau preferred to be humiliated...